Yorkshire rail strikes confirmed this week: What days will trains be affected?

Rail commuters in Yorkshire face a fresh wave of strikes this week as part of a long-running dispute over the role of guards on trains.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union today (Tuesday) confirmed its members at Arriva Rail North, which runs the Northern Rail franchise, will walk out for 24 hours on Thursday and Saturday.

Northern said the majority of its trains will operate between 7am and 7pm for commuters on Thursday, while services will mostly run between 7am and 5pm on Saturday.

It is the latest in a series of strikes to hit commuters this year as part of the ongoing row between Arriva and the RMT.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "It is a tribute to the determination and professionalism of RMT members on Arriva Rail North that they have remained rock solid for over a year now in what is a battle to put public safety before private profit.

"The next phase of action on Thursday and Saturday goes ahead exactly as planned as the company refuse point blank to engage in talks.

"We thank the public for their support and understanding throughout this dispute over rail safety and access and the union remains ready for talks."

In a message to passengers, Arriva Rail North asked passengers to plan ahead as services on the strike days are expected to be "extremely busy".

"On Thursday, the majority of available trains will operate between 7am and 7pm as we focus on running as many trains as we can to get you into work and home again," the company said.

"On Saturday, most trains will run between 7am and 5pm as we work to get you to and from leisure destinations across the region.

"As the overall number of trains running will be reduced, we expect trains and any replacement buses we operate to be extremely busy. Please allow extra time for journeys, plan carefully and consider whether travel is necessary.

"During the RMT strike action, we expect all services to be busy, especially in the morning and evening peak periods, and advise you to allow extra time to travel."